Embedded Librarians

Three Models to Promote the Library and

Improve Student Learning

Colgoni, Godfrey and Nicholson

McMaster University

#embedmac #acrl2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011 1
 Outline
Poll
What is embedded librarianship?
Initial Vote
Three models:
In a program

Virtually

In the campus teaching support centre/centre for teaching excellence

Q & A + Your Experiences

Final Vote
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 Poll
How many of you currently have embedded librarians at
your institutions?

• In an academic program?
• Virtually?
• In a teaching support centre?

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 Embedded?
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 Cybrarians?
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 A corporation that is serious about its
information needs may contemplate
having at its disposal a network of
cybrarians (i.e. librarians able to
navigate in ‘cyberspace’), strategically
located throughout the company.
Bauwens (1993)

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 Blow up the
Library
Get out!
Connect information
consumers with
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suppliers

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 Embedded Librarian
Characteristics

1. physical (or virtual) co-location

2. funding outside normal library budget lines
3. managerial and supervisory reporting lines
4. participation in organizational activities of library and
client group (Shumaker & Tyler, 2008)

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 Roles

embedded in courses
members of research teams
collaborating in scholarly communication activities
embedded in virtual worlds or virtual learning
environments
embedded in T&L support centres

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 “It’s the human side, stupid”

traditional skills & competencies must be

combined with advanced knowledge of
customer domain
application changes, but underlying skills
remain essential
(Shumaker & Tyler, 1997; Kesselman & Watstein, 2009)

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 Initial Vote
Which of our models do you think is most effective
at building campus relationships and improving
student learning?
1. Embedded into a Program
2. Embedding Virtually
3. Embedding into a T&L Support Centre

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 Embedding into a Program
Andrew Colgoni, Science Fluencies Librarian
colgoni@mcmaster.ca

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 Model Comparison
Office located at program HQ

Salary paid by the program ✕

Report to program and library ✕
Participates in organizational activities of both groups

Completely integrated into the program’s activities and

planning

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 iSci
4 year Honours Degree Program
Bringing sciences together -
interconnectedness
Research-focused, project based,
inquiry-style groupwork
Small (<60/yr), intensive

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 Location
Facilitates communication
between instructors and
librarian
Primacy of library for
students
Impromptu and scheduled
student consultations with
librarian

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 Curriculum, etc.

iCore & iTeach

Student Selection &
Recruitment
Project co-ordination
(‘Sustainable Energy’)
Guides, Resources, Links,
Facebook

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 Science Literacy
with Dr. Sarah Symons
2 hr. weekly class for Level I
‘thread’ that runs through all aspects
Covers the overarching skills needed to ‘do’ science:

scientific writing/reading, note-taking, information

research and management, academic integrity,
communication, etc.

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 Adaptable to different situations
Embedding doesn’t need to be full-time
Effectiveness comes from deep
embedding across the curriculum

Sunday, April 3, 2011 21

 Embedding Virtually
Krista Godfrey, Liaison Librarian
godfrey@mcmaster.ca

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 Bridging Distances
Not just for distance education

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 Learning Management
Systems
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 LMS
Quizzes
Discussion forums
Pathfinders/subject
guides
Learning Objects
(video, ppt, articulate)
Chat/IM

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 Social
Networks
It’s about
connections, being
where our users are.

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 Virtual Worlds & Environments
Yes, Second Life may be a possibility

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 Advantages

Be where your users

already are
No space or money
issues
Statistics gathering

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 Student Learning

multiple learning
styles
asynchronous review
point of need help
anonymity

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 Promotion

Social networks
LMS one-stop shop

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Sunday, April 3, 2011 30
 Embedding in the T&L
Centre
Karen Nicholson, Teaching and Learning Librarian
knichol@mcmaster.ca

Sunday, April 3, 2011 31

 We are challenged to engage with
faculty ...in designing integrated learning
experiences for students that will help them
develop their skills over the course of their
undergraduate careers. This partnership
role is one that is very different from that of
invited guest lecturer.
Williams (2009)

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 Embedded Model: Secondment

2009: Embedded T&L Librarian

Launching Communities of Practice
Digital Media Literacy (DML) course design
2010: T&L Development Officer
Quality Assurance Framework and degree level
learning outcomes

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 Digital Media Literacy
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 DML Course Objectives

Develop and apply critical thinking skills;

Explore controversies and issues related
to digital media within a social sciences’
framework; and
Improve students’ communication skills
and ability to use ICT effectively.

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 Quality Assurance

Increasing focus in HE globally

Accountability and / or enhancement
measuring inputs & outputs
focus on student learning outcomes
(OBE)

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 Outcome-based Education

One obvious way in which universities have

sought to articulate their role and purpose is
through a description of the qualities of their
graduates.

Barrie (2006)

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 T&L Centres and QA
Increasing focus on educational
developers and T&L centres as change
agents (Fletcher & Patrick, 1993; Taylor
(2005); Haynes & Stensaker (2006)
Promoting student-centered learning
Curriculum mapping of program-level
learning outcomes

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 Reframing IL as metaliteracy

21st century skills/fluencies & attributes

U.S.
Canada
Australia

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 Embedded Model
Me: physically located in the CLL

Salary paid by the unit (secondment)

Dual report to CLL and Library

Participated in activities of both groups

Integrated into the unit’s activities

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 Embedded Model
traditional skills & competencies combined with
advanced knowledge of customer domain

application changes, but underlying skills remain

essential

effective

sustainable

transferable

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 Summaries

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 Discussion/Questions
What kind of embedded roles do you have
at your library?

Sunday, April 3, 2011 43

 Final Vote
Which of our models do you think is most effective
at building campus relationships and improving
student learning?
1. Embedded into a Program
2. Embedding Virtually
3. Embedding into a T&L Support Centre

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